Electric control for motors



Feb. 23, 1954.

Filed March 30, 1951 w. H. MQELVENNY ELECTRIC CONTROL FOR MOTORS :2 Sheets-:Sheet 1 Mmm Feb. 23, 1954 w. H. MOELVENNY ELECTRIC CONTROL FOR MOTORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 50, 1951 INVEN TOR. ZKM/472% )fici/#gygy BY am/ l M@SI Patented Feb. 23, 1954 I ELECTRIC CONTROL FOR MOTORS William H. McElvenny, Drexel Hill, Pa., assigner to Crane Packing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 30, 1951, Serial No. 218,339

Claims.

This invention relates generally to an electric control for motors and more particularly to such a control as shuts off the power means to the motor when the motor, or an element driven thereby, such as a shaft or tool, has its speed reduced to a predetermined level by a load.

While the control of my invention may be widely employed for a Variety of uses, it will be described in connection with an air motor, and, more particularly, an air motor used in connection with a tube expanding tool. 1t will be understood, however, that the invention is not to be limited by the preferred, illustrated embodiment, since it may be employed in connection with motors driven by other sources of power and in connection with other tools. Furthermore, it is not an essential aspect of this invention that the control be embodied partially in a motor which is portable, although it is advantageously used in connection with portable motors and tools driven thereby.

Where, for example, the end of a tube is to be expanded for fluid-tight association with an aperture in a head of a condensor, it is important that the tool not work the end of the tube any more than is required for a fluid-tight t, since excessive working may harden the tube to the point Where normal expansion and contraction of the tube when in use will cause it to crack or break off and leak. If, on the other hand, the tube is under rolled, a tight joint is not provided and leaks may result. Heretofore, it has been a common practice to rely on the judgment of the workman to determine when the tube had been suiciently expanded. However, human elements oi error frequently resulted in over-expansion of the tube end, or under-expansion, distortion, destruction, etc. It can be readily seen, therefore, that automatic means for shutting off the motordriven tool when a tube has been expanded to the proper amount, as determined by previous tests, or calculations, will result in uniform and accurate expansion with consequent reduction in labor costs and material costs, in initial operations and in repairs.

It is the primary object of this invention, not only in the specic application referred to above, but also in other uses where power shut-orf is desired, to provide a control Jfor automatically shutting oii the power to the motor when a predetermined torque load is reached.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for selectively varying the stage at which the power shut-off will occur so that tubes 0f varying thicknesses, materials and other characteristics may be accommodated.

It is an advantage ci this invention that the control may be provided for use on standard motors presently in existence as well as for incorporation conveniently in motors in which it will form a built-in structure.

It is another advantage of the invention that it may be readily employed in connection with portable motor-driven tools with only portions of the control needing to be carried with the motor, the remaining portions being adapted to be supported independently in a stationary position.

Other objects, uses and advantages will be obvious, or will appear, from the following written description, when taken in connection with the drawings in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic showing of a portable air motor carrying a tube expanding tool and with the electrical connections being shown diagrammatically leading to a five-prong male plus;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic showing of an air valve and air regulator for supplying air by which the motor of Figure 1 is powered, together with a diagrammatic showing of the electric control structure, including those portions which are incorporated in the motor of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2, but illustrating a modification of the electric control structure.

Referring iirst to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is indicated generally by the reference numeral I0 an air motor having a casing, a hand grip portion I2 and a combination handle and air throttle I4, the hand grip I2 and handle I4 being employed for grasping and manipulating the tool, with the handle Ii. also permitting manual ofi-on control of the air pressure to the motor. A shaft I6 driven by the motor I0 may have secured to it a tool I8, which in the illustrated embodiment comprises a tube expander which is adapted to be inserted into the end of a tube, indicated fragmentarily at 20, for expanding the same. It will be appreciated that the driven shaft I6 might have secured to it other tools, the torque load of which is desired to be maintained at a certain level. The shaft might itself have substituted for it a driven member which has a cutting disc, abrasive Wheel or cutting wheel, all of which are intended to be included within the term driven shaft.

Electric generating means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 22, is carried by the motor I0 and may comprise, for example, a gear 4 mounted cn the driven shaft IS for rotation therewith, -the gear being adapted to drive a 3 pinion 26 connected with an electric generator 28, with the wires 39 and 32 of the generator being connected to the terminals 34 and 36 of the male plug 38. The male plug may also have a ground connection 49 and terminal 42.

A push button switch, indicated generally by the reference. numeral i214, is adapted to be manually operated when the tool is employed -for lexpanding the end of a tube. The switch includes the manual push button 46 which is springloaded by the spring 48 so that `lthe `movable switch member 50 carried on the rod "32 is normally urged toward closed tpositien .with .contact 154, as shown. Contact 54 is-connectedby la wire B to a terminal 58 of the male plug 38 and a wire 60 is connected with the movable :switch member 50 and connects with a terminal 62 of the male plug 38.

The hand grip I2 includes a passageway (not shown) Ifor the delivery :offairto 4the air :motor im, through-a walve `(not shown) zunder :the-.control-.Qi handle I4, from :the hexible Vair-hose 64 whchiis adapted :to have at its free Vend ya coupling (not shown) `:fergcpnneotion with amating coupling .66 of ,the 'air hose -i64a see .Figure 2). Ehe-'other end vfoi :hoseiifa fis-adapted to be connested with :an .off-on .device :in .the -form of an air valve, :indicated generally .by the :reference numeralGS.

@tisy may 'be :seen in Figure 2, `housing FI- or :the valve 68 provides a seat I2 for a spring-loaded val-vermember 5 4, .the-spring 119 normally vlurging the Malvefmemb'er I4 Vto ,closed position. Valve member AAI41is-scon1iecte,d byfrod 't8 `through-an .airtight sealing structure 86 with @an armature .82 of an relectromagnet, :indicated ,generally rby 'the neierencesnumeral 18.4. The-.armaturen actuated upwardly vwhen the .winding -83 :of -t'he .electromagnets `isenergized. Rod I6 thendrawsxthe valve member I4 upwardly from its seat 12 and againsttheactienaof thespring .1 6.

`lieadiiflg tinto :the K.valve :housing 1.6 is van 'air cQnduitfii :in which isidisposed :an air regulator tor4 :ensuring that the air -pressure .delivered through the Yvalve iii-8ste .the air motor `will be f con stant. Conduit .66 may be rconnected b y suitable hnowmmeans ato a source :off air;pressure.

-LI'he remainder for the fcontrol structure kcan best be seen from Figure 2, with the electricfgenerf-,ating -means 2:2 l,and :manual -fpush zbutton:switch 4,4 -zbeing-:indcated#diagrammatically 2in -t-he fupper right-hand portion offthatfgure.

"Thelterminals 4t2', 34,36, 5 8 and l.6210i the 4male plug-38 aize-sadapted to't'in-fcorresponding sockets 42a, :34% .35ct, 88a and 612a :of the Yiemale ,plug 90. ,from :terminal 412er fto :the vgroundy :an electric lywlre 48a. Fiom terminal -34a an .electricfwiire 39a extends :to a movable Acontact :192 f of a ivaa'iallcffresistor- `which is 'indicated :gener-ally bythe-,reference 'numeral "94. From the resistor vSil ithe :wire 153312 :extends .1:0 7the `field r winding (not shown) lof -a .sma'll, sensitive lrela-y, indicatedfgenerally ibythe -reference numeral 96'. The :other end. of :the ffield winding .of .relay 96 .is connected with 'the'iwire 32aleading to fthe vterminal 36a of the .female "plug SIL 'From time foregoing, it will b'eeseenthatlthereis an fe'lectrical circuit Vincluding the :generator 28, .whichis .drivenffrom the driven shaft 6 :ofthemotor 1| 9, wire .30, rterminals'3'4 and 34a, wire36a,1mo.vable contact 192 ofthe variable resistor-94, wire T3917, feld winding of relay 96, wire 32a, terminals 36a and I36, and 'the wire 32 back -to zthe generator. `Theiield winding of the relay y96 is excited by 4the-currentgenerated by .generator 28. d"Ih'evoltage developedbythe gen erator is in proportion to the speed of the air motor I0 and when the driven shaft I6 has its speed decreased by torque load during the tube expanding operation, the output voltage of the generator will decrease. That voltage output, together with the setting of the resistor 94, will determine what current 'will be-dlievered to the Arelay 98. Relay t'96 is intended *to `attract and hold a movable contact member 98 of a switch, @indicated generally bythe reference numeral |99. vIn .such .attracted position, the movable switch member '38 is out of Contact with the fixed conatact :|282 fof switch H69. The movable contact 98 :is normally iloaded toward closed position, for example, 'byfa-compression spring |04, but when `the,currentgenerated by generator 28 is of a suc'ient amount, 'it attracts the movable switch member 98 and opens switch I 09. Member 98 and contact |62 are sometimes hereinafter referred :to fas `-rclay-.operated contacts Switch 1.9.0 has its .-movable ,contact-ffmember 9 8 :connected by a 4.wire `10.6 .to-:the eld winding tilt-:of a larger ,relay which-is .-indicatedgenerally by the .reference numeral I-Hl. -Erom .the :other end of .the'ieldfwinding M18 ra wire -IIlGa is-.con-

nected to a source-.of current, .such-rasa llOwvolt line, the :other -wire 2 :from the-source nf current being ,connected with the .fixed contact An.92 of the `switch M39. `From the .-foregoing, -it will .-'be seen :that -an .electrical -circuit .-is provided which includes the xed contact :m2, wire H2, source of current, `wire 4.06ct, field winding .l-aand .wire -to -the fino-Vahle switch cmember S8 of tthe switch |69.

Another electrical circuit ,provided which includes Athe .electromagnet .84, ias-follows.: Wire M4, movable --switch member e| I6 of, a switch, which is :indicated generally by :the vraference numeral |-I-8, .thence to -the --xed-ccntact -l 210 and. by wire Illia, to a source of current, .such fas-a .11'0 velt line. Member =I |6 :and contact IM-.are sometimes ,hereinafter freier-red ato :as relate-operated fcontacts. 4The other -wire |122 .from the sourceiof-currentfis then-connected with-the-other end -of the winding A=93 of the'-electroma-gnet134i With the switch 8 closedfasshewn, ythaelectromagnet '8d -is energized `and Iholds' the :movable val-ve member 'I4 on" of its seat J2 whereby the valve 4.68 Yis :in .on, :or open, position. When switch tI. |13 ,is-opened b y'relay V|=| 0, lthen :the-'electromagnet .-84 lis (ie-energized and -the spring- 16 of the valve 68 immediately urges -the .movable valve member V'I4 .to its seat -'I-2, so that .thevalve is placed-in 01T :or closed, position.

A'The manually 'controlled ,push :button @switch `44 -(see .Flgure 2) is .in circuit with an .electromagnet, indicated generally -by the reference numeral |24, as follows-z fixed .contacter-term? nal` 5410i :switch -44, wire v56.terminal5 of, the male zplug A3 8., :socket :58a `'of .the .female `plug f9.0.; and .wire 56a fto :the vwinding 'fl-26 yof .the 'electromag-netv 124. :The circuit' 'continues from the other iend of the winding :|26 'by wire .zllbftofa source of current, such as .a 5h10 voltine, :and thence 'by "wire llilla, socket 62a, 'terminal` 62 and wire V60 to Athe movable .switch :memberi ofswitch 114. The .armature Y|28 ofthe electromag' net 4|124;actuates an-.electromagnetically='operated device, 'indicated `generally -by the reference .numeral |30, which Adevice vincludes `a 'block' i132'. -When jthe armature is fattracted, block |32 moves downwardly against jthe shorter -armsof afpair of pivotallymounted bell Icrank `-levers I 34 -wh'ich;

then Aserve to -position 'fthe movable Aswitchfinelfn-v ber 98 of switch |00 Vawayrom:the-fixed contact member |02 to open the circuit which includes the relay ||0. Normally, the bell crank levers |34 are separated by a compression spring |36, or by some similar means, so that when the electromagnet |24 is deenergized by opening of the manually controlled switch 44, the electromagnetically operated device |30 no longer serves to position the movable contact member 98 away from its fixed contact 02.

The operation of the control structure is as follows: The air hose 64 connected with the handle I2 of the motor I0 is first coupled to the hose 84a. This is done before the male plug 38, connected with the motor I0, is plugged into the female plug 90; After the hose portions E4 and 64a are connected together, the plugs 38 and 90 are connected without the manually controlled push button 44 being depressed.

When the plugs 38 and 90 are interconnected, the electrical circuit including the generator 28 and the small relay 96 is not energized, since the generator is not being driven and since the circuit is not otherwise powered. The circuit including the manually controlled push button switch 44 is energized and consequently the elecf tromagnet |24 is energized and the electromagnetically operated device |30 is operated by downward movement of the plate |32 carried on the armature |28. By this movement the bell cranks |34 are pivoted about their pivotal con- I nections toward each other and against the force of the compression spring |36 to assure that the movable contact member 98 of switch |00 is separated from the iixed contact member |02.

As a result of switch |00 being open, the relay 'i circuit which includes relay H0, is not energized and therefore the movable switch member II6 is not actuated by the relay IIO. Consequently, the movable switch member i6 engages the ilxed contact |20 under the urging of the g air motor to admit air to the motor to power the same and to bring it up to operating speed. While this is being done, the manually controlled push button 44 is still not depressed, since, if it were depressed before the air motor reached a predetermined speed, the circuit which includes the manually operated switch 44 would be de-energized, whereupon the electromagnetically operated device |30 would cease to position the movable switch member 98 of switch |00 as shown in Figure 2, and said switch member 93 would be urged into contact with the xed contact |02 by spring |04. That movement would close the circuit which includes the relay l0 and immediately the movable switch member ||6 of switch I8 would be drawn upwardly against the compression spring |23 to open the circuit which includes the electromagnet 84. If the electromagnet 84 is de-energized in that fashion, spring 16 will urge the movable valve member 14 onto its seat 'I2 and cut off the air pressure to the air the relay 96 will attract the movable switchv member 98 of switch |00 against the operation of the spring |04 and therefore prevent the closing of switch |00 even if the electromagnetically operated positioning device no longer is eiec tive.

Consequently, when the air motor has reached its full operating speed, the user then grips the handle I2 of the air motor I0 in a natural fashion and thereby causes the push button 46 of the manually controlled switch 44 to be depressed against the action of the spring 48 and to open the switch 44 by moving the movable switch member 58 away from the fixed contact 54. Thereupon, that circuit is opened, the electromagnet |24 is `zie-energized, and the spring |36 forces the bell crank levers |34 apart. Then thej user, by grasping the handle I4 and the hand grip I2, applies the expanding tool I8 into the end of a tube, such as tube 20, to expand the same.

. Depending upon the characteristics of the tube 20, the extent of expansion desired, etc., the user will have iirst adjusted the variable resistor 94 by moving its movable Contact 92 to a location corresponding to the torque lead at which it is desired to shut oii the power to the motor. The variable resistor 94 can be calibrated in various manners, for example, in accordance with the f metals of which the tubes are formed or in other manners. This provides a flexibility to the control structure which is very advantageous.

At such time as the tube expanding tool I8 is slowed down by engagement with the inner walls of the tube 28 to a point where the predetermined torque load has been reached, the current generated by the generator 28 will drop off, and the current supplied to the winding of the small relay 95 will diminish, to a point where it will no longer hold the movable switch member 98 of switch |08 against the action of spring |04. Thereupon, switch member 98 will immediately move to the left, asviewed in Figure 2, and engage the xed contact |532 of switch |00 and close the circuit, which includes the relay I0.

As soon as the relay l@ is energized, it attracts the movable switch member IIB of switch H8 to open the switch and thereby immediately cle-energize the electromagnet 84 to permit the spring 16 of the valve B8 to seat movable valve member 14 and to shut off the supply of air pressure to the air motor I8. The expanding tool I8 is then withdrawn from tube 20.

Then, before expanding the next tube, the user may either turn the control handle I4 to oii position to close off the supply of air to the motor (independently of the already closed valve 68), or he may simply release the push button control 44 whereupon its circuit will be closed to cause an energization of electromagnet |24. The electromagnetically controlled positioning devicev I `30 will then be actuated to move the movable contact member 98 of switch 88 away from the fixed contact |02 to thereby open the circuit which includes the relay I0. As soon as the relay I9 is so ie-energized, the spring |23 will move the movable switch member H6 of switch ||8 into closed position into engagement with contact |20. The circuit including electromagnet 84 will thereupon be closed and the electromagnet will be energized and the valve 68 will be opened to again supply air to the motor I0, if the control handle I4 has not shut oir the supply of airto said motor. `As soon as the motor, is up to normal.

operatingspeed;theuserfwill; then' grip theahand hifi-inusuali aiashionas tor depress themanuallyt controlledrswitch 4, whereupon another tubeend: may' 4be expanded.

Ifqreference will now be made.- toz: Figure-13,. a modification of the control structure of Figure- Zwill be described.. The same, referencenumerals ashavefbeen. employed in; Figure1-2 aref-,used in' Eig-urefzS, the4 main. diierence. between the struc-v ture of Figure; 3 and: oft Figure 2 being that the electrical. circuit. which includes the'. relay lI-llfis. eliminated; The relay 95,- instead,v isshown actu-Y atingfthe. movable switch member i-iii directly; This :eliminates the electrical circuit whichin'.- aluden-the switch ltiland relay lHl. The: circuit including the. generator28, resistor 94 and relay dlisxthe same and the circuit including'the; manuallyoperated pushbutton switch it andthe; electromagnetically operated: device |30..is the` Sa/lne.;v

However, in order to actuate the movable switchl member Il 5 appropriately rin'order to provide the control operation described above: with respect .td Eigure; the spring 123i isxarranged'to urge the switchV member IIIS away from the xed contact: tlfwhile the electromagnetically 'operated positioning' device |30. is adapted to position it 'in engagementv with thevcontact E23.. Whenithe relay! Slfis suiciently energized" by the genera-tor 28,? it. attracts the movable switch member H6 into engagementwith thel contact i2@ andagainst' the force of' spring i232, irrespective of the elec. tromagneti'cally operated positioning device |36.

A'control structure of this form will be satisfactoryi the relay 96 is strong enough and the currenty generated is suicient. Otherwise, the control structure shown in Figure 2 may advantageously be employed. The operation of theyair motor and the control structure,I so far. as the sequence. or" operations by the user is concerned, is the same in the. control structure. otigure asin: Figurey 2.

WhileI have illustrated preferred embodiments. of 'the invention'that is for purposes-of illustra-- tion only and l'. do not intend theinvention` to be limited thereto, except insofar asthe following5 claims are so limited, since modications lor changes coming within the scope ofthe inventionv will. suggest themselves to others by reason ofy my disclosure.

l. Control strncture'oruse in control-ling the deliveryoi power 'to a motcrrivenshaft ortho like-,\said control structure comprising an electri cally` powered .oil-onv device adapted. to control tloedeliveryv of power to a motor; al switch con-- trolling the operation of said oil-on device; electricgenerating means. adapted to bedriven. from a'..driven shaft; structure responsive tov .thecurrentgenerated by said electric generating means for maintaining the switch in a position whereby the ofi-on device is in on position when the current generated remains above a certain level; andselective means for selectively maintaining said'switch in a position whereby the off-on device is in on position, independent of the action of said electric generating means.

2; The control structure of claim 1 wherein the selective means comprises an electromagnet, a switch positioning device actuatedv thereby, Van electrically `powered circuitfincluding the fieldE winding of theelectromagnet anda manually operated'switch, the latter switch normally main-l the! circuit l in ai condition --wherebyl the'- switclrpositioning:device; positions therstjnaxnodi switch soxthat, the .onion-.device is .in orz'posia tion, ,independent'ofv the -actionof; tha electric generating means; and` said manually operable;- switch beingr'movable-to. a. secondl position.. toiy thereby' remove said lrstvl namedf switch from-fthe eiect 'of the; selective means.`

31.. Control structure fory use in.controlling;the delivery of power to a motor-drivenshaft; ortho; lilre,fsaidV control structure. comprising an ,electrically'powered: ofi-on device. adapted to controk they `deliyery of power to a motor; a switch con-1 trolling the operation of said ofi-on device; elec tric generating means adapted to be drivenfronr v a. driven, shaft;- `structure responsive to the. cur.

rent. generated by said' electric generatingfmeansv for maintainingu the switch in aposition when?,V by the ofi-on device isvin .on position whenzthe, current generated remains above` a certain; level; saidl responsive structurefincluding a .relay series with said electric generating means; an'. electrically powered circuit having. a-relayand; having a switch under thevcontrol of said rst:` named relay, with the switch controlling the.- oion device being under the control of thesesond named relay; and manually controlledv means: for selectively maintaining the rst named switch" in a position whereby said ofi-on device is in on positiony independent -of the action offsaid` electric generating means.

4. Control structure for. use in controlling ,theV delivery of air pressure to an air motorl for drivingr a. driven shaft, said. control structure comprising a. valve .normally loaded toward closedjposition and4 adapted tocontrol the delivery oi.y air .pires--r sure to anair motor; electric genera-tingimeans adapted to be drivenVA from a driven shaft; valve actuating means responsive to` the current generatedby-sa-id-elec-tric generating'meansl and inf-i cluding a relayenergized' by the'electric:genev erating means; an electrical circuit having elec` tricall'ypoweredmeans for movingv the valve against its loading means to open position, a normally closedswitch in said circuit, saidswitch being controlled by` said relayl and being main tained closed whenv the current generated byv said electric generatingmeans remainsabove a oertain` level; and manually controlled meansV forY maintaining said switch. in. closed position Aeven when the current generated byy said, electric gen.- erating means is belowY said certain level.

5.111 av motor overload control system for a, fluid pressure operated motor having a-d-rivelr shaft: anda vfluid supply conduit leading thereto, alvalve disposed in a conduit and movable; be tweenl open and closed positions'yieldable means; normal-lyL maintaining said valve in its closed` position, a-soleno'id operatively'co ected'to saldi valve and operable upon energizatifon thereof-tomove the valve to its open position against the action of'said yieldable means, a circuit for sai'dv solenoid, a first pair of-hormal'ly closedrelay'- operatedl contacts in said circuit, a rst relay magnet operable upon energization thereof to; open said' contacts, a. circuit 'for said magnet in#- cludingasecond pair ofV normally closed relayoperated contacts, a solenoid operatively asso-- ciatedv with said: second.` pair of normally closed relay-operated 'contactsand' operable uponferier-Lv gization thereof to maintain the latter opengva: circuit for-said latter solenoid includingapair of'l normally closed' pushl buttonQoperatcdf'corr-' tactstafpush buttonfor operating' saidf push-but WILLIAM H. MCELVENNY.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Bany June 11, 1929 Place Oct. 14, 1930 Crout Nov. 28, 1933 De Mooy Feb. 13, 1934 Norling Oct. 23, 1934 Corkran Apr. 19, 1949 

